SANTA CLARA-SANTA CRUZ-SAN MATEO CO. INCIDENTS

2/23/45 San Jose,  Santa Clara Co. --Yoshinaga Taketa, 5th and Jackson, former Little Tokyo area, heard noises at front of store, discovered at daylight that window glass of store had been broken. On previous night had had gone to a Filipino grocery store across the street and was told, "We don't want any of your business." Police investigating.

  

3/6/45 San Jose (rural 3 miles east), Santa Clara Co. — Joe Takeda home subjected to 12:50 a.m. night shooting and attempted burning by men in unidentified sedan cut telephone wires and set fire to house and sheds with gasoline poured under home. No one injured and family of 10 evacuees put out fire with aid of rain. One fired from car slowly cruising highway 75 feet away, 2 shots fired as it passed on 4th trip past. One revolver slug went over heads of 2 children on porch, lodged in bedroom wall. First incident case in Santa Clara Valley, Sheriff Emigfs office notified, 3 deputies arrived within 15 minutes.

3/21/45 San Jose, Calif. Santa Clara Co. --Shigitaki Onishi, 175 Taylor St., was approached by a Filipino sailor as Onishi was planting a tree in his front yard. An Italian woman friend, Mrs. Cerucci, phoned sheriff's office. Deputies arrived, questioned sailor known only as "Montana" who claimed he had made no threats. Onishi said he had been told to "get out." Navy Shore Patrol responded reluctantly, could not find sailor.

3/23/45 San Jose, Calif. Santa Clara Co.--Early in morning Onishi heard clatter against his house, Investigated, found three empty beer bottles had been thrown at his home.

3/28/45 Watsonville, Calif. Santa Cruz Co.-- Tsuneo Sumida of Poston, Arizona was refused admittance to a Greyhound bus running between Chittenden Junction and Hollister, California by the driver. It was necessary for Sumida to hike part of the way before getting a ride into Hollister.

5/5/45 San Jose, Santa Clara County. Japanese Methodist Church, 566 North Six St., entered at 9 a.m. by four boys, two Negro brothers, aged 13 and 14, and two Mexican brothers, aged 10 and 9. Mr. Buemo Kitazawa, making routine inspection boys, and police caught them redhanded in act of looting parsonage in rear of church. Relocation officers went to church immediately, found boxes, trunks, etc., opened and contents strewn about. Boys claim they removed nothing from building, but evidence seems otherwise. Nothing indicates that nationality of owner had anything to do with the burglary. Rev. Osuga, Minister of the church, plans to relocate there with family in near future.

6/8/45 Redwood City, San Mateo Co., Calif. — Hirosuki Inouye received intimidating letter from manager of Gilroy Hot Springs, Gilroy, Calif, when he wrote requesting reservations at the Springs for his invalid father. Letter received stated: "We are still in business, but - No Japs are Allowed at our Springs - The farther you stay away from here, the better. Once a Jap, Always a Jap, Even amongst his own Rats - So Go Back to Destroyed Tokio." Mr. Inouye reported incident to our San Jose WRA office.

6/17/45 San Jose, Santa Clara, Calif. — Five Mexican "zoot-suiters" drove up in a car and parked outside bar across "the street from residence of Harry Taketa & wife. One of the Mexicans noticed the Taketas sitting on their veranda and ventured across the street, uttered abusive language and cursed the "Japs" and remarked: "Might as well start in on them." As the Taketas get up to go inside the others rushed at them. However, Taketas managed to get inside and close door. Taketa immediately picked up phone and called Mr. Edmiston of WRA. The Mexicans became frightened and drove away. License number is 1-R-1449. Edmiston phoned police, but they did not appear. He is making further investigation. Source: “Special Field Reports of Allan Markley” to Dillon S. Meyer, Director WRA, Attn: M.M. Tozier, Chief of Reports, WRA

FLARE THROWN AT BUDDHIST TEMPLE HERE

     Watsonville had its first case of public hostility against returning Japanese Monday, 2:10 a.m., when unidentified persons threw or shot a flare toward the Buddhist temple, corner of Bridge and Union St., which is being used as a hostel by the Japanese. The flare landed in the yard of the building next door, 107 Bridge St., and set fire to shrubbery, police reported.

Immediate statements were made by Chief of Police Matt Grayes and Deputy District Attorney John L. McCarthy stating that such cases of violence or mob riots "would not be tolerated and would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

     Both Graves and McCarthy stressed the fact that city taxpayers - the city itself - would be liable for any damage resulting from such violence.

     The hostel is crowded with returned evacuees. Included in the group are three Nisei servicemen, home on furloughs, and many women and children. Two Gold Star mothers had moved out Saturday, Fred Rhodes, WRA official said. A young mother is living at 107 Bridge St., where the flare landed, and was up, heating milk for her child, when the attack occurred, Rhodes said. The lights in the house were on.

     The majority of families at the hostel have sons in the armed services, two families having three sons each who are servicemen.

     According to police, Sgt. Ernie Lowry was leaving the police station early Monday when he and Officers Jim Brandon and Walter James noticed a red glow in the vicinity of Bridge and Union St. Investigating they found a group of Japanese in the yard of the 107 Bridge St. residence (adjoining the temple) putting out a fire in the shrubbery.

     A flare was found, attached to a paper parachute of a type similar to that used in a Verry pistol, police said. It had either been thrown from a car or shot from a pistol, it was believed.

Japanese in the hostel reported they saw a sedan and heard a car speed up toward the east just before the flare landed. Extensive search by officers failed to find any trace of the car or culprits.

     "It is up to us to keep law and order in this community," said Chief Graves. "These people have been returned under government order. They are housed in the hostel and we will not stand for any violence of this sort."

     He pointed out that if the flare had dropped on the building, it would have caused a serious fire and that the city would have been responsible for damage.

     McCarthy said such instances would be prosecuted to the fullest extent under whatever laws applied. In Monday morning's incident, charges of attempted arson, malicious mischief or disturbing the peace could be filed, he said. Watsonville Register-Pajaronian, September 24, 1945. p.1

SACRAMENTO-PLACER CO. INCIDENTS

1/16/45 Mayhew near Sacramento, Sacramento Co., Calif. Fire of sus-picious origin destroyed Mayhew Sunday School building in which was stored property belonging to groups of persons of Japanese ancestry. County officials consider case closed. WRA investigators still working on it.

1/18/45 Auburn, Placer County, Calif.s Two civilian brothers and two brothers AWOL from Army held in case before Superior Court for attempted burning and dynamiting and scare shooting at Sumio Doi ranch home. Doi family has son in army unit which rescued Lost Battalion. No one injured.

1/19/45 Mayhew near Sacramento, Sacramento Co., Calif. Nisei Saiki home burned to ground at noon. Property tenanted by Caucasians, and fire attributed to faulty flue. Case closed.

1/22/45 Florin near Sacramento, Sacramento Co., Calif. Night fire destroyed Fumi Mukai Fujimori ranch house and barn. Arson suspected though evidence is lacking. Incident caused short-term leave evacuee to become undecided about returning. 'No one was injured. Local officials apathetic about fire. WRA continues to work on case. S.F. Area Office checking. 

7/13/45 Walnut Grove, Sacramento County, Calif, (30 miles from state capital) On the evening of July 13, Mrs.Wilma Insigne, alias Kitty Ferguson, 36, wife of a Filipino and occupant of a house in Walnut Grove owned by an evacuee, Sugi Koga of the Granada Relocation Center, visited the home of a recent returnee of Japanese ancestry at Walnut Grove, Harry Matsuoka. Present at his home were his son, Pvt. Toshio Matsuoka, on furlough after 10 months in a German prisoner of war camp, other members of the family, and the family of K. Sasaki, a neighbor, and also a recent returnee from the Granada Relocation Center. One son in the latter family, Sgt. George Sasaki, is serving overseas with the U.S. Army. 

     Mrs. Insigne used vile and abusive language in threatening the two families. She told Private Matsuoka, who wears the Combat Infantryman's Badge and two Bronze Stars, "You are not an American soldier. You are a Jap soldier." .She told the families that she would go get a group of Filipinos and they would return and either burn down the house or drive out the returnees.

     Telephoned by Mr. Matsuoka, Harry Knowles, assistant to the sheriff of Sacramento County had the Walnut Grove constable arrest Mrs. Insigne. When she was arrested she was in a Filipino poolroom, drunk and trying to get up a crowd of Filipinos aroused against the Matsuokas.

     The following morning, Milo Dye, Justice of the Peace at Walnut Grove, prepared a complaint which was signed by Private Matsuoka. Judge Dye set bail at $500 cash or $1,000 bond and set the hearing for the afternoon of Monday, July 16. Mrs. Insigne re-mained in jail because bail was not met.

     At the hearing in Dye's office she pleaded guilty to having willfully and unlawfully disturbed the peace and to having used vile and abusive language before women and children.

     Before passing sentence Dye spoke of the necessity for protecting the rights of the evacuees, basing his remarks on the fact that both the courts and the Army have approved their return. He told Mrs. Insigne that because she had attempted to incite riot which might have resulted in bloodshed, or death, and because of her 14-year record of many convictions, her sentence would be 90 days in jail, the last 60 to be suspended upon her agreement to leave the county for a period of one year. She is in the county jail.

     Received by telephone from Walter Mores of the Sacramento office of WRA at ll:30 a.m, July 18 by Arnold M. Serwer.

Source: “Special Field Reports of Allan Markley” to Dillon S. Meyer, Director WRA, Attn: M.M. Tozier, Chief of Reports, WRA